CHROMA Ensemble

Biography

London-based chamber ensemble CHROMA has performed many contemporary works for The Royal Opera, including the world premiere of The Firework-Maker’s Daughter (The Opera Group), The Wind in the Willows (ROH2) and the world premieres of Heart of Darkness, The Commission/Café Kafka, Through His Teeth, Glare and 4.48 Psychosis (The Royal Opera).

CHROMA was founded in 1997 and under the directorship of Stuart King brings together many leading UK musicians. Since the ensemble’s debut in the Purcell Room it has become particularly known for its work in contemporary music. CHROMA is Associate Ensemble for Tête à Tête Opera, where it has performed in the world premieres of Kerry Andrew’s Dart’s Love (winner of Best Stage Work at the 2014 British Composer Awards), Laurence Osborn’s April in the Amazon and Na’ama Zisser’s The Last Seed, among many others. CHROMA’s commissions include Luke Bedford’s Falling Falling, David Gorton’s Burgh Castle, Leonardo Margutti’s Cochlear Short, Claudia Molitor’s 8+7=, Raymond Yiu’s Les Etoiles au Front (shortlisted at the 2012 British Composer Awards) and Michael Zev Gordon’s Glass Mountain. Other premieres include Anna Meredith’s Railgun (Norfolk and Norwich Music Club), Rolf Hind’s Sit Stand Walk (Spitalfields Festival) and Joe Cutler’s Chanticleer and the Opera Fox (Little Missenden Festival, shortlisted at the 2012 British Composer Awards 2012).

CHROMA works regularly with student composers, including in ongoing projects with the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway, University of London, and Oxford University. It also has an annual programme with seven primary schools in Norwich.